


The Way You Look At Me

by GuiltyFurry



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 01:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7597285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuiltyFurry/pseuds/GuiltyFurry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhys has always had an attitude since you stumbled across him and his team. He's had enough of the way that you keep staring at him behind his back...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way You Look At Me

**Author's Note:**

> Writing Prompt:  
> “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”  
> Knight Rhys x reader, fallout 4

“Oh?” You continue to clean your rifle; it’s long overdue and you’re not going to stop for another one of Rhys’ trademark lectures.

“Yeah,” Knight Rhys retorts. “And I’m sick of it,” he adds, scrubbing his own energy pistol.

You pause for a brief moment, and then keep polishing the weapon barrel in your hands. “Sick of it?” you ask aloud. “Why?”

You hear a loud clang as Rhys slams his weapon onto the office desk. His chair screeches against the floor, and you turn around in time to see him barge up to your own desk. “Why do you think I’m sick of it?!” he yells. He waits for your response, but you can’t understand what the problem is. Now he’s even more frustrated. “What kind of idiot do you take me for?” he shouts, spittle flying from his lips onto your rifle stock. “And where the hell do you get off staring daggers into the back of my head, huh?!”

“Daggers?” you query, still trying to grasp the issue. _Does he really think-_

The red of Rhys’ neck starts to climb up to his face. “Well what would you call it? Clearly you’ve got a problem with me because you can’t help but give me shifty eyes and threats under your breath!”

“You’re delusional,” you tell him in the calmest voice you can manage, which is surprisingly serene. You look back down to the weapon parts laid out before you, now in disarray. Before you can reach over to fix them up, Rhys’ hand grabs your collar and lifts you to your feet. His other fist is clenched beside his head, poised to punch you square in the jaw.

“KNIGHT RHYS!” The voice of Paladin Danse echoes throughout the abandoned police station, chilling you to the bone. You haven’t heard a voice so authoritative since your old army days, before the bombs fell.

Rhys immediately drops you, spins on his heels and salutes the armoured man in the doorway. You take a moment to compose yourself before saluting Danse as well. While you’re still catching your breath, Rhys is still as a tree and his back is twice as straight.

“What is the meaning of this disturbance?” Danse roars as he enters the room. The loud thuds of his footsteps reverberate throughout the walls and floor, shaking you to the core.

“Sir!” Rhys responds loudly, staring at the wall with practised diligence. “Our newest recruit has been insulting me behind my back, sir! I’ve come to confront-”

“That’s enough, Rhys.” Danse’s voice is much softer now, barely above a whisper. He stands before you, observing the weapon components in front of you, and then turning his head upwards to you. “Recruit, relay to me what happened here,” he orders.

“Sir!”

“At ease, I just want a simple answer,” he interrupts. You lower your hand suspiciously, as if expecting him to start shouting again. As Danse continues to wait for your response with his flat brown eyes, you collect your thoughts and figure out what to say.

“Well,” you begin, “Knight Rhys and I were cleaning our weapons when he said he’s noticed me staring at him when I think he’s not looking.”

“Have you been staring at Rhys?” Danse asks, completely emotionless.

“Uh, yes. I have.” Your response is weak, but it’s the truth. Before you get the chance to explain yourself, Danse asks you to continue. “Rhys thought that I was insulting him, so he started shouting in my face. You walked in just as he was about to punch me.”

“Sir!” Rhys hollered at the wall again.

“Enough, Rhys! Or I’ll have you court martialed.” Danse turns back to you, his voice quiet again. “Do you have anything else to add, Recruit?”

You meditate for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of saying adding to your testimony. Finally, you decide it’s best to tell the truth. “Yes sir, I do.”

“Let’s hear it then.”

You turn to face the back of Rhys’ head. “Rhys, I have been looking at you when I thought you couldn’t see, but it’s not because I hate you.” Your throat feels tight as you try to make the words come out of your mouth. “Actually, it’s the complete opposite. I really admire you, Rhys.”

Rhys doesn’t move. You’re not sure if that’s a good or bad sign, but you already feel better for telling part of the truth. “I admire your loyalty to the cause,” you continue. “You’re a fierce warrior in the field, and a great member of the Brotherhood, even I can see that. I mean… you’re kind of an asshole…” You notice Rhys’ fists clench, but he still refuses to face you. “I just…”

_What do I want?_ You ask yourself something that you’d never considered before. You think you know the answer already. “I want to know you better, Rhys. I’ve been trying to figure you out, because I want to know what makes you tick, and where you get your strength from.”

You take a deep breath, and wait for Rhys to keep berating you. Danse’s gaze switches between you and Rhys, ensuring that neither you nor him do anything stupid.

“Sir?” Rhys’ voice is uncharacteristically soft. He turned to face his superior officer, and you immediately notice how pale he looks. “Could I please have a moment with the recruit?” Danse glances one more time between you and Rhys, nods his head, and trudges out of the room, walls shaking as the power armour boots hit the ground.

As soon as the tremors stop shaking the room, Rhys’ head droops. He still won’t face you, and you’re worried that you’ve hit a raw nerve. Before you can apologise, he speaks up.

“I’m sorry, Recruit,” he murmurs. “I know I’m an asshole. It’s easier not to get attached that way…” He looks up at you; his eyes look puffy and red, as if he had been crying for hours. “All that matters is the mission; those are the words I live by. Anything else is a distraction.” You wonder why he’s telling you this; he made it very clear when you first met him.

“I’m not ready to open up yet, but…” He trails off for a moment, staring over your shoulder. He sighs and says “I’m sorry for attacking you. You’re a good soldier. And… thanks, for trying to find the good in me.” He gives you a feeble smile, and then collects his weapon and leaves the room.

You stand there in stunned silence, trying to make sense of it all. It almost feels like none of it happened. You sit back down at your desk, tidying up the weapon parts that had become jumbled over the course of the event. You’re still not sure if what you said was okay or not, but he did thank you. As much as you’d like to know him better, you know that it’s enough for now.


End file.
